2010 ASEAN YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

The Public Affairs Section (PAS), U.S. Embassy Hanoi, is seeking candidates for the 2010 ASEAN Youth Leadership Program. Students of grade 10 and 11 at Vietnamese high schools in Hanoi who demonstrate leadership through academic work, community involvement and extracurricular activities and have a good
command of English are invited to apply for the program. Up to five scholarships are available for Vietnamese students.

The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Monday, September 6, 2010. Applications should be sent to:
The ASEAN Youth Leadership Program, Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy, 7 Lang Ha, Hanoi.

Program Overview
The ASEAN Youth Leadership Program is an intensive four-week exchange program in the United States in October 2010 whose purpose is to promote high-quality leadership, civic responsibility, volunteerism and respect for diversity. The participants will be approximately 50 English-speaking high school students from ten member countries of ASEAN. The program will be hosted by Northern Illinois University’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS).
The ASEAN Youth Leadership Program will enable teenagers, ages 15-17, to travel to the United States for a four-week exchange program focused on building a sense of community, developing civil society and economic institutions and recognizing the commonalities among Southeast Asians and Americans. The program activities will be youth-oriented and dedicated to help participants learn more about American pluralism and about community activism and leadership. The hope is that students will be able to make use of their U.S. experience
upon returning to their schools and neighborhoods at home.

Participant costs for program administration, international and domestic travel, housing and food will be covered by the U.S. Department of State. Participants will also receive a small stipend to buy books and attend cultural events. Upon completion of the program in the U.S., participants are required to implement in their home countries a community service project funded by the U.S. Department of State.
Candidate Qualifications
Competition will be based on the potential of the candidates to become leaders through community involvement
and extracurricular activities, without regard to their field of study, race, religion, or gender. Competition is
open to all applicants who meet the following minimum criteria:

• be 15 - 17 years of ages;
• demonstrate strong leadership qualities and potential in their school and community activities;
• have demonstrated commitment to community and extracurricular activities;
• be mature, responsible, independent, confident and open-minded
• be fluent in English

To apply for the program, applicants must complete and submit their completed application form and a hard copy of the following documents to the ASEAN Youth Leadership Program, Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy, 7 Lang Ha, Hanoi.

• 02 letters of recommendation (with English translations if in Vietnamese)
• Copy of school report, certificates of merit and awards (if any).